Others say...

"So far, great espresso"
I have only had this machine one week, but so far it is making a great espresso. It is easier to use than my previous maker, too. I found the directions easy to follow, but, unless I missed something upfront, would suggest they high light the need to prep the machine before drawing the first drinkable cup. Great little machine so far!

"very happy with it"
Just got this and I find it very easy to use, even though I have never made cappuccino or esspresso before. The instructions that come with the machine sound a little complicated at first, but if you carefully follow them the first time, you should have no trouble. I have made cappuccino with the pods and with ground coffee, and they both came out excellent. The last cup I made was very hot, especially after I heated the milk, so I had to wait until it cooled before I drank it. Tamping the coffee and frothing the milk were no problem at all. Again, just follow the directions carefully. The machine is more attractive looking than a lot of others I have seen and it doesnt take up a lot of counter space. The coffee may not be exactly the same as you would get in a fancy restaurant, but I am not at all disappointed with this product and I recommend it. By the way, the pods come in different strengths, regular and decaf. B B and B sells them, so they are easy to find.

"must contradict the recent negative reviews a bit. "
This little guy is great. Everything works exactly as it should. espressos and cappucinos are both outstanding. the heat-up cycle is short. it's plenty hot. the switch, basket, and holders are quite well made. (If you don't tighten it up before you brew it will leak - AS IT SHOULD. Sorry, but bad reviews based on less than intelligent use annoy me.) This is a great little machine in terms of both build quality and performance. (I dunno about packaging. Mine was packaged quite well. Others have apparently had a different experience.)

"Missing parts on Christmas morning!"
I have to point out that this review is not of the product itself (as we never got to use it!) but of the packaging of it, and Amazon's or DeLonghi's attention to detail. This was a main Christmas gift for my husband and we were so excited to have espresso with our Christmas morning brunch. He unpacks the machine out of its original packaging and the main part that holds all the water is completely missing. There is no other way to use or run the machine without water in it and it's also a rather large piece on the back-side. We had to send it back and needless to say, I was extremely disappointed. The box looked fine and I did not assume that I should need to dismantle the entire thing prior to wrapping to make sure that essential parts were all there. There would not have been time to send it back and receive a new one, anyway, in time for the holiday. I really feel this level of service is unacceptable and we returned the item and did not get a replacement -- and are still waiting for our money to be re-credited to my card. Extremely bad experience!

"Not worth buying!!!"
This was a gift for my daughter in law and it leaked when in use all over her counter. Shaked when she tried to use the pump for espresso and then it sounded like it had loose parts in it when it was in use. Would not recommend. Sent back for refund.